REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. XXV 



PLA NT-BREEDING WORK. 



The breeding of plants for the purpose of obtaining forms resistant 

 to disease and better adapted to the new and changed conditions 

 which are constantly arising is rapidly becoming an essential feature 

 in agriculture. Attention has already been called to the work of secur- 

 ing strains of cotton resistant to wilt and other diseases. The remark- 

 able success of these experiments indicates the importance of this 

 phase of plant-breeding work. Some new strains of upland cotton 

 were also secured by hybridizing the short and long staple cottons. 

 One of these hybrids in particular is said by experts to be superior to 

 any upland cotton now grown. Numerous other valuable hybrids and 

 select strains have been developed, and these are being tested and their 

 characteristics fixed. A hybrid between one of our American upland 

 cottons and an Egyptian variety promises to be greatly superior to 

 either parent. 



For several years the Department has been working to secure, by 

 breeding, a race of oranges resistant to frost. It was proposed by this 

 means to restore the orange groves of Florida, which formerly produced 

 several million dollars' worth of oranges yearly, but were nearly all de- 

 stroyed by cold a few years ago. Twelve of the new evergreen hybrid 

 oranges, secured as a result of crossing the hardy Japanese form with 

 the Florida sweet orange, have proved to be the hardiest evergreen 

 oranges known in the world. Southern nurserymen have pronounced 

 them to be of great value as hedge plants, entirely apart from their 

 fruit-bearing value. There is great promise, however, that we will 

 ultimately secure a fruit that is hardy and of good quality. Some of 

 the hybrid raisin grapes, produced with a view of securing resistance 

 to a disease known as "coulure," or dropping of the fruit, have borne 

 for the first time. These vines have proved hardy so far and have 

 produced fruit of remarkably fine quality. Some of the vines appear 

 to be resistant to a serious and destructive root disease which has 

 appeared in California, and they may resist the worst of all Pacific 

 coast grape diseases — the so-called "California vine disease." 



A serious problem which for many years has confronted the farmers 

 of the West is the securing of plants resistant to the alkali soils of 

 that region. Wherever agricultural crops are being grown there has 

 been more or less adaptabilit} 7 of plants to the peculiar conditions 

 existing in many parts of our Western country, and as a result some 

 plants are found to give much better yields on certain soils than others, 

 mainly through their ability to resist the large amount of alkali 

 present. In connection with the breeding work important investiga- 

 tions have been inaugurated looking to the development of resistant 

 plants of many kinds, special attention being given to the forage 

 crops, as these are of great importance. In this connection coopera- 

 tion has been secured with the Bureau of Soils, whose work during 



